Rail bond



A. M. NARDINI July 5, 1932.

RAIL BOND Filed June 21, 1924 INVENTOR Patented July 5, 1932 PATENT OFFRI'CE ANTHONY M. NARDINI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA I RAIL BOND 'AppIicatiOn filed June 21,

This invention relates to electrically con ductive bonds. It is concerned primarily with a bond cable having a mold member se- 7:

cured to the end thereof to retain molten;

metal adjacent to the bond cable during the process of securing the bond to a metallic,

article or rail. More particularly it relates to a railway bond having a mold or terminal member at each end whichis adapted to re tain molten metal in contact with therail base or the rail web and base.

It isalso concerned with the construction of a bond, for use on the bases of railway rails, which is provided with a mold member or terminal forming a wall to retain molten metal on the rail base adjacent to the bond end. It is further concerned with a bond having a metal retaining mold at either end of the bond, and open at the top and bottom and adapted to cooperate with a rail baseand web to retain molten metal during the process of securing the bond to the. rail. i V

In the drawing, attached hereto and form-.

ing a part of this specification, I have shown certain devices embodying my invention:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective. view of a rail having secured thereto one end of a bond embodying my invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a top plan and cross sectional view of the bond shown in Fig. 1, the latter being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figures 4 and 5'are enlarged views showing two forms of bond clips or sleeves which may be employed with my mold.

Figure 6 shows in perspective a bond embodying my invention but not employing a bond clip.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of mold embodying my invention.

Figure 8 is a modification of Fig. 7 as hereinafter described.

In Fig. l the rail is indicated at 1. The bond to be attached to the rail consists of a flexible portion 2 having terminal clips 3 at either end thereof to bind the strands or laminations 2a together into a compact mass. mold member a is secured adjacent to the end ofthe flexible portion 2 and preferably about the clip 3. This mold consists of a 1924. Serial No; 721,394.

portion 5 encircling the end of the cable 2 including clip 3 and acting to secure the mold 4 thereto, and a narrow elongated strip 6 of varying height bent between its ends as at 7 and so positioned on the cable that when the bond is placed on the base of a rail, the lower edge of the strip 6 will engage the base throughout substantially its entire length,

thereby forming a plurality of upstanding walls which serve as the sides of a mold for retaining molten metal on the surface of the rail base where it may contact directly with the rail web and base during the process of attaching the bond to the rail. It will be noted that the strip 6 constitutes only two sides of the mold, its freeend being adapted to engage the rail web, the third side of the mold being formed by the web 8 of the rail 1 and the V fourth and last side of the mold being formed by the end'of flexible portion 2 ofthe bond and the portion 5'which encircles the latter. With the bond provided with this form of mold'resting 011 the base of the rail with the end'of the strip 6 contacting with the web of the rail, a mold, is provided into which molten'metal may be melted and the flexible portion 2 of the bond thereby, united to both the web and'the base of therail. I The port-ion 5 by preference substantially encircles the bond clip and cable as shofwnf -in Fig. 3, and either form ofclips (Figsf l and 5) as well as other clip's,, may be so em:. ployed. WVith portion 5 as shown'in Figs. 2 and 3 the cable end is thereby elevated or spaced slightly above the rail base. Such spacing is of advantage when the metallic arc is employed because of its influence on the nature of the connection of the molten metal to ther'ail at or beneath the cable end, the better weld being obtained, due to all strands beingwelded, when the cable is not in direct contact with the rail base.

In Fig. 6-1 have shown themold 4simi-[ larly'secured to the exposedfiexibl'e part 2/ of a'bond, the clipbeing'omitt'ed; It is preferred, however, to employ some means, as a-chp, to hold the strand orfcable endsiinhi close engagement prior to bonding. 4 A InFig. 7 I have. sh fwn a modifiedfform of mold member. In this case the strip 16 corresponding to strip 6 of Fig. 2 is substantially U-shaped with the flexible part 2 of the bond being positioned in the open end of the U, one side wall of the U which would rest adjacent to the web of the rail when in welding position being of less width than the opposite portion of the strip, a part of this portion having been removed, as at 17 so that molten metal in the mold may overrun the strip and contact directly with the web of the rail. It will be understood that the clip 3 may also be employed with the mold and cable of Fig. 7 and as shown in Fig. 8.

Although various materials may be used in constructing a bond and mold in accordance with this invention, copper is preferred for the flexible portion 2 and clip 3 and a ferrous material, such as cast iron or pressed or sheet steel is suitable for the mold.

A bond constructed in accordance with this invention is capable of use with either the carbon or metallic are but is especially advantageouswhen the metallic arc is em-' ployed.

Having thus described my invention so that those skilled in the art may be able to practice the same, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is 1. A rail bond comprising a flexible portion and a separately formed attachment for either end thereof, the said attachment formed of ferrous metal and being adapted to co-operate with a rail base and web to form an upstanding wall with three sides one of which is adapted for application to the rail and cut away along its upper edge to reduce its height to form a receptacleto retain molten metal on the rail base in contact with the rail web and the end of the said.

' flexible portion, a sleeve member secured to the end of the flexible portion against relative longitudinal displacement and the said attachment having a collar portion to grip the sleeve member, means on the sleeve member to prevent longitudinal displacement of the attachment relativeto the sleeve and the said.

wall of the attachment having its greatest height adjacent the flexible portion.

2. A rail bond comprising a cable with a terminal on each end comprising a sleeve member secured to the end of the cable and a mold portion formed of metal secured to the sleeve and having a collar portion to grip the sleeve member, the mold portion having three upstanding sides arranged to rest upon the rail base and form a receptacle therewith for molten metaland one wall cut away along its upper edge for application to a side face of the rail and permit the molten metal to contact with said side face without overflowing the receptacle and means on the sleeve member to prevent longitudinal displacement of the mold portion relative to the sleeve.

3. An electrically conductive bond comprising a flexible portion and a mold member secured to an end thereof, the said mold member adapted to retain molten metal and having a wall portion adapted to constitute three sides of a mold member two of the sides extending longitudinally of the flexible memher and substantially parallel to the axis thereof and, one of the two said sides being of less height than the other sides for application to the web of a rail, said flexible member extending into the mold member for contact with the molten metal.

4. A rail bond adapted for welding to the web and base of a rail comprising a flexible portion and an elongated mold member secured to an end thereof, the said member being formed substantially U-shaped with the sidewalls substantially parallel to the flexible portion and with the said flexible portion positioned in the open end of the U, and with one of the side walls of the U cut away along its upper edge.

5. A rail bond adapted for welding to a side surface of a rail comprising a flexible portion and a mold member secured to an end thereof and adapted to retain molten metal in contact with the web and base of the rail, the said member being formed with two side walls and a narrower end wall transversely disposed to the axis of the flexible portion and forming a substantially U shaped receptacle with the said flexible portion positioned in the open end of the U and with one of the sides of the U being cut away along its upper edge, said flexible portion projecting into the mold member for contact with the molten metal.

6. A rail bond terminal comprising a body having a split elongated tubular portion to receive a cable and a U'-shaped wall extending from opposite sides of the tubular wall portion and having two side walls and one end wall to form an open top and bottom receptacle, and one side being cut away along its upperedge to form a wall of less height 

